When You Don’t Feel Peaceful

When You Don’t Feel Peaceful

Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. . . . Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. . . . Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

Isaiah 55:3, 6-7

Like life itself, the journey toward peace rarely proceeds along a predictable path. Sometimes it may even seem as though you have taken one step forward and two steps back. What do you do then?

One thing you can do is begin to think about where you want to go and how you are going to get there. Just as you wouldn’t start driving from New York to Florida by heading north to Canada, it would be foolish to set the wrong course on your journey toward peace. Progress can only be made if you continue heading in the right direction, which means, of course, that you are heading in God’s direction.

When it comes to navigating the journey, think of repentance as a spiritual GPS that will keep you on course. The Greek word for “repentance” is metanoia, which suggests a radical turning away from sin in order to turn back to God. Without such a turning, all our efforts to become women at peace will fail. As Christians, we know that repentance is more than a one-time event. It’s something we need to do daily, making necessary course corrections whenever we falter.

Our lack of peace may or may not be attributed to our own sins. But sin is certainly a major obstacle in our quest to experience more of God’s peace. However you are feeling today, ask the Lord for grace to recognize the things in your life that are off kilter. As you admit your failings, imagine yourself turning from them and toward God, confident that he will abundantly pardon.

Lord, my journey toward peace is really a journey toward you. Help me to admit and forsake my sinful habits, so that I may run toward you and your forgiveness.